WO2002096045A1 - Mail forwarding method and device with electronic-to-paper conversion - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mail forwarding method and device that can be used to send a non-physical piece of mail (electronic) and to have said mail delivered in hard-copy form by means of the conversion thereof during forwarding. The delivery address of the mail is determined from an identifier (56b) of the addressee which is integrated in the mail in its non-physical form. In particular, the identifier can take the form of the addressee's telephone number. Said identifier can be integrated in the domain name of a management centre so that a customised address can be created, just as with sending an e-mail using a standard electronic messaging service. The invention also relates to a possible subscription-free form of operation whereby invoicing is carried out by means of another service to which the sender is subscribed.

Description

 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ROUTING MAIL WITH CONVERSION FROM AN ELECTRONIC FORM TO A PHYSICAL FORM

The invention relates to acTléniliitiii'ieii-t — mail, and more particularly to a method and a system for sending mail in electronic form and sending it to its recipient in the form of a physical envelope (letter or parcel). and possibly, conversely, making it possible to send a letter in the form of a physical envelope and to send it to its recipient in the form of an email. The communication of messages or documents and graphic or sound files in electronic form has very quickly become commonplace since the end of the 90s thanks to the Internet, giving rise to a community of Internet users (Internet users). Many Internet service providers offer personalized mailboxes at little or no cost, making this method of communication accessible to any owner of a personal computer (PC) equipped with a modem. In addition, it sells integrated boxes specifically adapted to communicate on the Internet via the screen of a television or an integrated screen.

However, it is clear that today non-Internet users still represent a majority of the population.

It is just as certain that at least until the end of this decade, if the number of non-Internet users will decrease, it will nevertheless persist in representing a non-negligible part of the population.

Conversely, the increasingly natural and sophisticated use of electronic mail by another part of the population, that of

Usual internet users, a population that is growing faster and faster, will have the corollary that they will find it increasingly difficult to communicate outside the domain of the web and more particularly of their e-mail.

This results in an evolutionary divide between these two parts of the population.

What is more, the very existence of the Internet can bring a new means of communication for the benefit of the non-Internet user without, however, passing through the Internet camp.

In other words, there is a need to organize the possibility for the Internet user to send the information to the non-Internet user electronically and for the latter to receive the same information according to his habits, this is ie by non-electronic means (for example postal).

As an extension, there is a need to allow the user of mobile phones to send SMS (short message system) messages, or even e-mails, to non-holders of mobile phones. who will receive them, here also by post (normal, express, telegraph ...).

The exponential use of the Internet, and more particularly of electronic messaging, generates on the one hand imperatives of authentication and certification of information and its authors and, on the other hand, a need for rationalization secure data archiving, a significant part of which is, or will become, or be recognized as "official documents". As a corollary, it will not be possible for long to be satisfied with "approximate" archiving on individual or company-limited systems, systems by definition intended to evolve, or even to be replaced, with all the potential consequences for loss or alteration of the information contained or at least as regards the guarantee of the authenticity and integrity of the research of the archived data and documents. From the above, we understand the usefulness of allowing communication, or even generating communication hitherto non-existent, between the population of Internet users and that of non-Internet users, until the widespread democratization of the use of the network. Internet.

This communication can also make it possible to send an e-mail to an Internet user whose e-mail address is unknown, but simply any identifier, for example his telephone number.

Beyond or alongside this ambition, this communication can make it possible to promote the transmission across the Internet of electronic documents delivered in physical form, or which can be delivered in this form, and to organize consistency in the circulation between electronic documents and physical documents.

It is also a question of rationalizing, securing, authenticating and archiving information in compliance with the regulatory and normative criteria already in place or to be born.

In this general framework, there is already known a mail routing system in an Internet environment offered by La Poste under the name "Courrier électroniqueevΘ", or "mailevδ". This service is essentially a product allowing companies to automate the current and existing sending of their mail. In this it is interesting and beneficial, but it is limited to the sphere of professional use and is not optimized for individuals and other occasional users. We note in this regard that it requires entering a specific website before allowing the sending of a mail in electronic form, and that the right of access to the service is subject to a prior subscription, with service-specific billing.

The invention does not have the same objective since it aims at a simple to use system, allowing the extremely easy sending, that is to say as a simple electronic mail, of messages by a person having a terminal for sending electronic mail (Internet users) to a non-Internet user who will receive the message thus transmitted in physical form.

Indeed, the invention addresses a double identified technical problem which is in itself new: allowing a person (sender) to send a mail in intangible form (electronic) to a recipient (recipient) with two constraints imposed: a) on the one hand without the recipient having to access an electronic messaging tool, and b) on the other hand without the physical address of the recipient having to be mentioned when sending, either because the sender does not have it available at the time of sending, or for reasons of convenience.

Typically, the physical address in question is the postal address or, in the case of a recipient housed with an organization, the distribution address mail within this organization (department, department, room number, locker, room in a building, etc.). This double problem is present in particular with recipients who are isolated from the world of electronic communications for various reasons: geographic location, material impediment, lack of training in adequate communication tools, inhibition or even a refractory attitude towards these tools. Furthermore, the sender of the message cannot always be assumed to have the physical address of the recipient at all times, this being relatively long (especially when it is a postal address) and of no use. in an intangible communication environment. In such an environment, identifiers (e-mail address, telephone number, service number, etc.) are used which do not express a geographic address to reach a recipient. The tools for storing the coordinates of recipients possible by electronic contacts are therefore sometimes either not intended to store physical addresses, or not used to register a physical address.

No known state of the art foresees or suggests this double problem (constraints a) and b) above). We note in this regard the existence of the following documents:

- the article Griesner SJ et al: "Evolution of messaging standards", AT&T Technical Journal, New York, US, vol.73, no.3, May 1, 1994, pages 21-45, which mainly concerns compatibility issues between two communication standards: ITU X.400 and the Internet protocol. The transmission of messages by these two standards is essentially at the level of the intangible form. It is provided by: a user agent, which provides a link for interpersonal messages, electronic data, and voice, or

- an access unit, which allows the X.400 protocol to be linked to external services.

The message format of the X.400 standard specifies a message envelope, comprising generic information necessary for routing the message, but based on the postal address, in the case of postal routing. This address is identified with specific attributes, each corresponding to a possible field of a postal address (postal code, street address, etc.) to be provided by the issuer.

It therefore appears that this scenario requires that the sender of the message has knowledge of the physical address of the recipient. The article "Workstation Communication System"

IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 37, No. 9, September 1, 1994, pages 101-104, which relates to an integrated system making it possible to combine the functionalities of the telephone, the fax, and the telex with the electronic mail. No indication is given as to the precise manner of extracting a postal address from the digitized information in the event of a possible transmission by postal mail.

Thus, this prior art supposes knowledge of the physical address at the level of the transmitter, and therefore cannot respond to the constraint b) above of the double problem for which the invention offers an optimal solution.

- Patent document EP-A-0 565 850, which relates to an integrated messaging system, bringing together different types of messages (voice, text, image, e-mail) with conversion possibilities. This document does not mention the possibility of converting a mail to a physical form in order to continue the delivery of mail. In fact, management stops at a basket for entering messages in electronic form. Thus, the system according to this document is intended for recipients able to take their mail from an electronic server, and therefore does not solve either of the two components of the above-mentioned double problem;

- Patent document EP-A-0 483 421, which relates to the implementation of a networked computer system with management of portals ("gateways"). As for the previous document, this system does not consider a routing of mail outside the computer network, whereas the invention has the mission of connecting people (recipients of messages) located outside the connection channels of electronic mail; and

- Patent document O-A-01 10089, which plans to integrate the recipient's telephone number in an electronic message to ensure routing. However, this number is used to create an e-mail address for the recipient on the fly so that the recipient can access it. The message therefore remains in electronic form. There is no search for the recipient's physical address, or conversion of the message into physical form before delivering it to the recipient.

Also, there are no plans to convert the message to a physical form and to forward it in its physical form to the recipient at an address extracted from the number. In other words, it is necessary for the recipient to provide access to the site created by ad hoc by the issuer. As such, this document also provides a process for informing the recipient on his phone of the availability of the message at the address used. Also known from patent documents:

WO-A-9723082, a system for converting documents sent by fax to electronic mail and vice versa. This system is based on a server integrated into the telephone network and includes means for issuing invoices to the sender or the recipient;

- O-A-0048377, a system of transmission by electronic mail, in the form of audio files, of voice messages recorded by telephone; - WO-A-0041064, a system for delivering messages sent in the form of electronic mail to a local printer near the recipient, with possible adaptation of the file to the format of the printer; and - EP-A-0917075, a system for automatically sorting messages from a continuous stream, between those intended to be delivered in physical form, and those intended for transmission in electronic form.

The invention solves the double problem thanks to a judicious combination of means, which allows the sender to ensure that his mail, in intangible (electronic) form, typically an e-mail, can be routed safely in a such a case. He can thus communicate transparently with a recipient without having to take any special measures if the latter does not have access to an email, simply by using his identifier (for example his telephone number) for sending the email. . More particularly, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a method of routing mail sent in intangible form (electronic mail) from a terminal, for delivery to a recipient at the physical address of the latter and on a physical medium. , characterized in that it comprises the steps: at the terminal of the transmitter, of:

- provide a field associated with the mail to be sent, and in which the sender enters information identifying the recipient (in other words a recipient's address), this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and

- transmit the mail in intangible form to a management unit, and at the level of the management unit, to:

- provide a database establishing a correspondence link between the information identifying the recipient and the physical address of the recipient for a set of recipients,

- receive the mail and read the information identifying the recipient entered in this field, determine by reference to this database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read,

- transcribe the content of the mail received in intangible form on a physical medium, and send the material medium to the determined physical address.

Of course, the order of execution of the steps of determining the physical address and transcribing the content of the mail is arbitrary.

For example, the transcribe step can include printing on paper (or other medium) material) of the content of the received mail, the recording of the content of the mail on a material recording medium (CD-ROM, floppy disk, or other data storage device), the transcription on an audiovisual medium (such as a cassette), etc.

Advantageously, the mail is sent to an electronic address of the management assembly, with the information identifying the recipient integrated into the electronic address. This address can include a domain name on the Internet, the information identifying the recipient being integrated into the domain name to form a personalized Internet address identifying the recipient. Preferably, the personalized address for identifying the recipient is presented in the format comprising the sequence:

"information identifying the recipient @ Domain name", Advantageously, the information identifying the recipient comprises a telephone number of the recipient.

In the envisaged embodiment, the information identifying the recipient also includes the name of the recipient.

The invention allows the transmission of mail directly from a conventional electronic mail sending email, without having to enter a specific site.

The method can operate in the context of a service without subscription, the method then further comprising the steps of:

- establish a cost to be paid for the delivery of mail, - transmit data corresponding to at least part of said cost to a provider of other services to which the issuer or recipient is linked, and - have said data integrated into the invoices issued by said provider.

The service provider may be a supplier of access to the means of communication of the mail in electronic form from the sender of the mail or to the recipient of the mail, in particular an Internet access provider or a telecom operator.

It is also possible to provide a telephone address with reception on a mail recording service in audio form, accessible to a mail sender in electronic form, further presenting a time field for recording information identifying the recipient. in audio form, which constitutes said associated field, the transcription to physical form at the level of the management assembly being effected by transfer of the audio message on a portable physical medium delivered to the recipient.

In the envisaged embodiment, it is possible to allow a sender of mail in electronic form to specify an optional service relating to the routing of this mail, at least one of which:

- delivery with acknowledgment of receipt (AEC), - delivery with express delivery of mail transformed into its physical form (EXP), delivery free of charge by means of the introduction of advertising message (s) in said mail ( PUB). The e-mail address of a management unit which receives an e-mail in the form of a domain name on the Internet, we can then advantageously allow the selection of the optional service by integrating an identification code of said service ( REC, EXP, PUB) to said email address.

The conversion of a mail from its immaterial form to its physical form is preferably carried out at a management unit, among a network of such units, assigned to the recipient according to predetermined criteria, for example according to proximity, this set of management performing at least one of the following steps: - printing the document on a physical medium in the case of an electronic mail containing data intended to be printed (text, images); and

- the recording of electronic data on an optical or magnetic medium in the case of sound, image or other data, or when the use of a medium is requested when sending mail.

The method may also provide for the routing of mail sent in material (physical) form, the conversion of this mail to an intangible (electronic) form and its delivery in this intangible form, the method comprising at least one of the steps :

- optical analysis for scanning with a view to integrating scanning data into mail in electronic form; and extracting data contained in a recording medium for integration thereof into the mail in electronic form. It can also include, prior to the delivery of mail to the recipient, the steps of: establishing a service and transmission price,

- send an electronic message indicating the said price to the sender or recipient of the mail in electronic form,

- wait in response for a message of agreement from said sender or recipient,

- complete the routing of mail to said recipient according to the message of agreement.

In the embodiment envisaged, the method allows transit in encrypted form of the data constituting a mail in electronic form on at least part of its routing.

One can also provide a step of linking an electronic signature to the mail in its electronic form. An authentication of said electronic signature can then be established in accordance with an established convention, this convention being able to be managed at the level of an assembly which also manages said routing process. The method also makes it possible to archive letters in electronic form, before or after transformation, possibly with an electronic signature.

In the case of a transmission of mail in electronic form, the process can look for a possible electronic address of the recipient and, in the case of a coordinate of such an address, to forward the mail in electronic form to said address without carry out said transformation. According to a second aspect, the invention provides a system for routing mail sent in intangible form from a terminal, for delivery to a recipient at the physical address of the latter and on a material medium, characterized in that it comprises : at the transmitter terminal:, i ι

means for presenting a field associated with the mail to be sent and for managing information identifying the recipient contained in this field, this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and

- means of transmitting mail in intangible form to a management unit, and at the level of the management unit:

- a database establishing a correspondence link between the information identifying the recipient and physical address for a set of recipients, - means for receiving the mail and reading the information identifying the recipient entered in this field,

means for determining by reference to said database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read, means for transcribing the content of the mail received in intangible form on a material medium, and means ensuring the shipment of the material support to said determined physical address.

The optional features of the invention presented above in the context of the method apply mutatis mutandis to this system. According to a third aspect, the invention provides a terminal of the system according to the second aspect, characterized in that it comprises:

means for presenting a field associated with the mail to be sent and for managing information identifying the recipient contained in this field, this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and

- means of transmitting mail in intangible form to a management unit.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a system management assembly according to the second aspect, characterized in that it comprises:

- a database establishing a correspondence link between the information identifying the recipient and physical address for a set of recipients,

- means for receiving the mail and reading the information identifying the recipient entered in the field,

- means for determining by reference to the database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read, - means for transcribing the content of the mail received in intangible form on a material medium, and

- means ensuring the shipment of the material support to said determined physical address. According to a fifth aspect, the invention provides a recording medium usable by a computer, the medium comprising a computer program allowing the execution of the method according to the first aspect at the terminal and / or at the level of a management assembly. . The invention thus also makes it possible to offer a very wide range of functionalities not provided for or not targeted by the existing services.

The invention also offers, from an educational point of view, the opportunity to prepare the non-Internet user for his future migration to the Internet population and it is probably quite naturally that he will use one day or the other Internet itself by starting to manage Unified Messaging. In a preferred embodiment, the invention also makes it possible to implement a system for securing signatures in transmitted messages. This security can be done through a certifying body with regard to the electronic signature, recognized as legally constituting a means of proof.

The invention can also integrate the normative criteria which are being set up and published with regard to the archiving of data.

In this context, the invention can be brought into conformity with these standards, and thus guarantee the author of the information a rational restitution, at the time of his choice and with adequate probative value, within the framework of a service taking also takes into account the authentication linked to the electronic signature, both with regard to the integrity and content of the authenticated and / or archived data and the certainty that they emanate from the signatory author.

In a preferred embodiment, the sending of a mail in intangible form is carried out by the usual e-mail of the Internet user, the use of which does not require any other formality on his part than that of writing or inserting his message, search their correspondent in their electronic directory, or type their email address, if they know it, and send their message and vice versa if they receive a message. It is strictly the same for the sender of “SMS” type messages mentioned above in the embodiments which provide this access channel.

The increase in the number of e-mails exchanged is considerable and will evolve more and more in this direction.

Conversely, we can consider that a very large proportion of the messages thus sent would not exist if their author had had to resort to the "usual physical" procedure, that is to say to get a sheet of paper, a pen, write your message, read it again, correct it if necessary, give it to a secretary, search for an envelope, find the recipient's full address, get a stamp, go to the Post Office, etc.

A fast and intense communication is therefore set up between Internet users, that is to say between people likely to send but also to receive electronic mail, thus making the thin share to the non-Internet user population.

Likewise, the SMS sender wishes to send a written message to their interlocutor, which does not correspond to the same concept as sending a voice message to an answering machine, or the traditional telephone call.

Here, the sender does not wish to speak with his interlocutor.

He wants to send him a message, even a brief one, in writing, at a specific time during the day. However, it seems very likely that very many Internet users would be likely to send such messages and / or information just as frequently to non-Internet users, provided that they can do so according to their usual electronic procedure. The same is true for the SMS sender. i ι

In this context, the invention makes it possible to set up a solution which keeps the Internet user in an environment strictly identical to that in which he is when he communicates with other Internet users.

For this, an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides on the one hand to make it easier to find the contact details of its non-Internet user recipient (i), and on the other hand to avoid having to generate a connection to a website or having to take into account or support a billing system specific to the use of this kind of communication (ii). In fact, this could crowd out, for example, any Internet user within a company, unless they first obtain from their own company that they agree to subscribe to such a site and that their communication will then be individualized and measured using a specific billing tool. However, this kind of tool is restrictive since it would require the sending of bank details, the precise contact details of the company or subscriber, etc. Thus, a possible embodiment of the invention can make it possible to satisfy the two above imperatives, namely: i) the use of telephone numbering or other identifiers of the recipients, and ii) invoicing without prior and adjustable formalism. In the case where the identifier of a recipient is simply his telephone number (personal or professional), we note that in the majority of cases, if the Internet user knows or has the telephone number of his recipient, by definition in in this non-Internet user case, he usually ignores his precise geographical postal address.

It will therefore be considered that allowing an Internet user to send a message by email to a non-Internet user by simply but necessarily using their telephone number or a commonly used personal identifier is a more than acceptable process.

By way of illustration, all e-mails sent by Internet users to non-Internet users will then be accompanied by a specific domain name belonging to the provider of mail delivery in accordance with the invention, for example MAILPUBLICA.COM. They will appear as follows: name and / or first name of the recipient. recipient's phone number@MAILPUBLICA.COM and for example:

Jean Martin.0144128972@Mailpublica.COM, which constitutes information identifying the recipient, i.e. a contact details of the recipient, which is not the physical (postal) address of the latter, in accordance with the present invention.

The sending of the message to the address thus presented above will be directly routed to the management center (MAILPUBLICA).

The MAILPUBLICA center which is in fact, as we will see below, a mail delivery management service, will identify the recipient by specific software tool thanks to a automated interrogation of telephone databases or other personal identifiers.

This interrogation is carried out thanks to the correspondence between the information identifying the recipient, or his contact details, (for example the telephone number) and the residence address of the subscriber holding the identifier. In the case where this i i information identifying the recipient is the telephone number, the telephone subscribers on the red list must necessarily be referenced by their full postal address.

He can thus edit an envelope written as follows:

Mr. or Mrs. name. First name (data provided by the issuer)

C / O name and address of the telephone subscriber (contact details of the subscriber automatically found by matching the telephone number).

And for example: Mr. Jean Martin C / O Cabinet MARTIN 54, avenue Foch 75116 PARIS (subscriber corresponding to the telephone number 01 44 12 89 72)

In addition, any Internet user may decide to subscribe themselves to a mail management center by opening a Unified Messaging (MU) or a server based on their first name. last name. telephone number, which MU will thus link the telephone number concerned with the e-mail address of the person concerned.

Thus, any message sent to him by an Internet user, by definition ignoring his address email, by simply mentioning his first name. last name. phone number will be directly routed to their regular email.

Billing without prior and adjustable formalism, depending on the preferred embodiment, avoids setting up a subscription contract and / or a new dedicated billing service is to have recourse to the provider who already and already bills the user, in this case the telephone operator or the access provider. This invoicing operates on the same principle as the Minitel model for which the invoicing of services of whatever kind is in fact directly carried over to telephone invoicing. We know that on the Internet, the Minitel business model has so far been unable to be used for purely technical reasons related to the non-availability of efficient systems for counting and sorting content, travel and organization of the transport of information on Minitel being totally different from the Internet system within the framework of which the transport is organized by packets (IP) using totally different routes for the same information made up of a batch of packets whose logical grouping only intervenes on arrival.

However, the invention can advantageously operate with a system which authorizes such invoicing without prior formalism, like the Minitel system. The technical aspects of this billing system can for example be those described in application FR-A-2 745 966.

This system allows, moreover, the Operator concerned to integrate into its telephone offer an extremely simple option of invoicing the transmission of electronic mail in physical form. Thus, the sender of e-mail to non-Internet users would be billed directly by its Operator or Access Provider for the volume sent and / or the connection time and / or according to any other criteria chosen.

The elementary constraints of simplification to the extreme of use by the Internet user having been thus resolved, the main functionalities of the mail routing system according to the invention will now be described.

This system, which implements optional aspects of the invention, will be described firstly in the context of sending electronic mails which are transformed into material entities (in physical form) and transmitted in this material form to a recipient.

The invention and the advantages which result therefrom will appear more clearly on reading the preferred embodiments, given purely by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a functional flow diagram of a system according to the invention for operational to route mail sent in intangible form and delivered in physical form;

- Figure 2 is a diagram of a screen page of a typical electronic mail, showing the insertion of a mail recipient address in physical form according to the invention; and

- Figure 3 is a functional flowchart of a system according to the invention for routing mail sent in physical form and delivered in intangible form. The example of implementation of the invention shown in Figure 1 explains the complete process of sending a mail in intangible form

(electronic), its conversion into material form (physical medium) and delivery in this material form to an identified recipient.

The mail in question can be text, still or dynamic images, or sound (i.e. multimedia) and will be designated in the following by the generic term of "package", it may be tangible or intangible. The sender E of the electronic package has several sources of communication for sending, in this case: - a mobile telephone terminal 2,

- a fixed telephone terminal 4, and

- a terminal connected to the Internet 6.

Telephone terminals, mobile or landline, allow the sending of voice messages. The mobile telephone terminal also makes it possible to send alphanumeric messages in "messaging" mode according to a prescribed standard, in particular the SMS protocol.

The Internet terminal 6 allows mail to be sent in any form, according to well-established methods. The signals from these sources 2, 4 or 6 are sent to a management and routing center. In the example, this center is in the form of Unified Messaging MU, which brings together the technical means to perform the various mail management and / or routing services. One can also envisage for this purpose an adapted server or any other computerized management system.

In a typical implementation, a number of such Unified Messaging services will be provided covering a regional, national or international territory. These Unified Messaging Unified Messaging is linked to each other by an electronic communication network, for example the Internet or a specific intranet. The Unified Messaging network operates automatically and free of charge for the benefit of any package recipient D, a priori not having access to an e-mail inbox, ie a so-called "non-Internet user". For sending electronic packages, Unified Messaging can only be supplied electronically.

At the terminal of the sender E of a message in electronic form, no access to a website or the like is necessary to carry out the sending. All he has to do is open his email or mailbox normally used for sending emails. This could be, for example, "Outlook Express" software

(Registered trademark of Microsoft), or any other existing messaging software interface. The message can therefore be entered there as for a "normal" electronic mail, with of course the possibility of incorporating attachments in the form of a text, image, or other file.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a screen page of a conventional mailbox 50 for sending electronic mails.

In the field (i.e. the box) 52 of the mailbox intended to inform the name of the recipient, the emitter E will write, to use the above example "Jean Martin.0144128972@Mailpublica.COM.

Note that this address includes a constant part 54 for all mail sent by the system, in this case "@ Mailpublica.com", and a variable part 56, the latter being composed of the name 56a followed, after a period, by the phone number 56b of the recipient. The "name" part 56a is optional within the framework of this embodiment, since only the telephone number is used to extract the physical place of destination therefrom. Thus, the recipient's "identifier" is here his telephone number.

The package consists of the text message 58 entered in the electronic blank page 60 and / or one or more attached file (s) 62. The sending of an electronic package from the sender E to the recipient (see multiple recipients in the case of a delivery via the "Ce" 64 or "Bcc" field 66.

First, the package is routed to a receiving Unified Messaging service, which can be a central MU or a designated MU depending on the location of transmitter E.

This MU then automatically routes the contents of the package to the Unified Messaging then opened for the benefit of the recipient, selected according to the geographic address of the recipient so as to shorten the route of delivery of the package in its physical form.

To this end, the receiving MU comprises a unit 8 which manages a telephone database containing in particular the telephone numbers and postal addresses of the subscribers of the telecommunication operator (s). Its coverage can be national or international. This database is indexed so as to automatically restore a postal address from a telephone address provided as an input, this being automatically extracted from the field provided for this purpose integrated into the electronic address. Thus, in the context of the above example where the address provided by the sender E of the message in his electronic mailbox is Jean Martin.0144128972@Mailpublica.COM, the database will automatically extract part 56b, ie "0144128972" to instruct the "telephone number" field in order to obtain the corresponding physical address. This type of database is generally designated by the term "reverse directory". For this function, the system can call on existing reverse directory databases, in particular on the Internet.

Note that according to the embodiments envisaged, the identifier which appears in the aforementioned part 56b may be other than the telephone number. It can be, for example, a serial number (numeric or alphanumeric) established by a private or public body, or a universal identifier assigned to a natural or legal person.

In this case, the unit 8 will also include in its databases the correspondences making it possible to associate a physical address with the envisaged identifier. It is in particular possible to provide address search strategies according to the identifier recognized in field 56b. For example, if the system is mainly intended for routing in an organization or a company in which people are identified by a personnel number, the address search will be carried out first by assuming that field 56b contains this personnel number. In the event of failure, the search will continue on another database, for example that of telephone subscribers, and so on until the address is obtained.

These search strategies can be guided by the form of the content of field 56b, for example by establishing that a ten-digit number must correspond to a telephone address, whereas a four-digit number corresponds to an internal number or extension number.

Routing can thus be used to transfer packages to different sites of an administrative or industrial group designated by a code.

Of course, we can envisage more complex identification systems, based on the use of several different fields.

Furthermore, another database includes tables which correspond to the geographic sectors of the postal addresses identified by the database (s) of the unit 8 with the Unified Messaging allocated to different sectors. For example, a recognition can be carried out at the postal code level, or in the name of the municipality to identify the recipient's MU. This information is used to automatically route the electronic package from the receiving Unified Messaging to the Unified Messaging open for the benefit of the receiver.

Most often, within the framework of a large MU network, it will be necessary to transfer the package from the receiving MU to the MU assigned to the recipient, since this is generally not the same. The transfer between MU in this case is carried out with the electronic package in encrypted form by the internal communication network which links the different MUs of the system. One can also provide a Unified Messaging which serves only as a center for receiving electronic packages and transferring them to the MU designated for the recipient or identified as being the most suitable for the address of the recipient.

In the example, we will consider that the routing of the package to the recipient's MU was carried out in upstream according to one of the possibilities just presented.

On a multi-daily basis, each Messaging service

Unified converts received electronic packages to a physical form. In the example, this conversion consists of (cf. unit 10): printing on paper the messages written and contained in an electronic package, and burning on CD or recording on disk the sound messages.

Electronic images can either be printed (if they are static and of a reasonable number), or transferred to a magnetic or optical medium. Likewise, a text document can also, depending on a choice, be in the form of a magnetic or optical medium. The choice of the form of physical formatting can be left at the Unified Messaging level, or expressed according to a protocol with the electronic message of the sender. Thus, a sender knowing that the recipient does not have computer tools can prescribe that his message must be presented in the form of printed sheets.

Each package in the form of a sheet (s) and / or recording medium (s) (floppy disk, CD, etc.) is automatically placed in addition (one fold per package) and delivered the same day to the Postal Services or to a courier service, or the like (unit 12) to be delivered to the address obtained from the telephone number or any other identifier (unit 8).

The system can also make it possible to transmit the parcel to a recipient D 'who has an email address, for example in the event that the sender E is unaware of the existence of such an address, or does not have it at his knowledge when sending the parcel. To this end, the universal messaging MU includes means for searching for a possible e-mail address of the recipient D '(unit 14). These may be electronic directories that output the email address from a telephone number or other identifier. If such an address exists, the parcel is immediately routed to the e-mail of the person concerned, who can thus receive an e-mail even though his correspondent ignored his e-mail address and only knew his telephone number.

In order to guarantee the confidentiality of the contents of the packages, an encryption / decryption system is set up through a protective barrier, known by the Anglo-Saxon term of "firewall", at the entrance and at the exit. MU (units 16 and 18 respectively). This system guarantees the impossibility of consultation by anyone of the packages, the decryption 18 intervening only at the exit of the MU, at the time of printing or recording on magnetic or optical medium, which is automatically continued without intervention human by automatic enveloping. The barrier is also used when transferring packages in electronic form from one MU to another, for example to bring it closer to the recipient in terms of physical formatting. All the data passing through each

Unified Messaging is archived in its encrypted form

(unit 20), only the transmitter E being able to request from the center that a copy of its shipment be forwarded to it at any time. Each package shipment gives rise to a report on the operations carried out, in particular to ensure traceability. This arrangement is ensured by a tracing report unit 29. After a period to be defined, the data are automatically destroyed.

The packages received are immediately and automatically stored for archiving in a MU corresponding to the recipient's address (first name, last name, telephone number).

A software system (unit 22) automatically calculates the cost of the delivery service according to the number of pages required for printing, the number of CDs or other recording media that may be required for sending in multimedia form, the electronic volume transmitted and the cost of postage. From this cost data, the Unified Messaging MU establishes a pre-billing (unit 24). Always automated, the system confirms by email to the Internet sender that their request has been taken into account and indicates the resulting cost (unit 26). To this end, the electronic address of the sender E is automatically extracted from the parcel to be sent, this address being inserted automatically with the sending of mail according to the conventional protocol which allows, generally known, to any recipient recipient of an email, to respond by email to the sender without having to enter their address.

In response, the sender can then confirm by a simple "click" from their messaging service, their agreement to send and direct billing on their telephone bill. From then on, the automated sending procedure is automatically triggered. This procedure implements a logistics center in physical form

(unit 28) equipped with means of calculation and storage 28 'allowing to automatically carry out a set of tasks, including: editing and printing and / or recording on a medium of the packages to be put in physical form, - putting in package fold, and

- postage. These tasks are executed to control the unit 10 which performs the physical formatting. In the example, the logistics center is implemented in the form of a computer control interface for the unit 10, the latter being a mail processing unit comprising in a combined manner a printer, an envelope-filling device, and a postage meter. The enveloping device is adapted to process both documents from the printer and recordable media (CDs, diskettes and the like) from readers and recorders suitable for recording the image or audio data contained in the package. Once the physical form has been achieved, the fold P from unit 10 is collected by a mail delivery service 12, for example a postal service, to be delivered to the address of recipient D. In for example, the P fold containing the parcel delivered to the Post office the same day or, outside working hours, the next morning.

As previously indicated, the cost of the service will be reported on the operator's invoice during the next statement sent by the operator to the Internet user. The recipient therefore receives under cover postal content of the package in physical form according to the usual route.

The parcel in physical form also contains a self-adhesive label corresponding to the postal coordinates of the Courier Center, i.e.

Mailpublica.COM in the example, with the electronic references of the sender.

Thus, if the recipient D non-Internet user wishes, he can address any physical response slipped in an envelope on which will be affixed the adhesive label, said envelope once stamped and returned to post by the non-Internet user being automatically received by the Mailpublica Center. COM. Note that if it is detected by the search for correspondence no. telephone - email address (unit 14) that recipient D 'actually has an email address, the recipient receives the package electronically at their usual email address and / or checks it on their MU.

The system also makes it possible to provide for a transmission of mail in the opposite case, that is to say where the sender of the mail transmits the latter in the form of a physical medium with a view to having it convey in electronic form to the recipient.

This aspect of the invention will be presented with reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 3, where the functional units similar to those of FIG. 1 have the same references and will not be described again for the sake of brevity.

Sender D prepares his mail in physical form. This mail can consist of printed paper (characters and images) or handwritten, magnetic or optical recorded media (multimedia mail), or any other content likely to be scanned. This fold is put in a parcel C at the physical address of a CC Mail Center. It may be an antenna which constitutes a suitable processing center, such centers being distributed over the service coverage territory, or a Unified Messaging MU located nearby, also provided with means adapted to this function. from Center Courrier.

The delivery of parcel C to the CC Mail Center can be carried out by common means postal services, private mail services, couriers, drop-off depots for withdrawal by a shuttle service (relays can thus be installed in shops, ticket offices open to the public, etc.).

The Mail Center opens the contents of parcel C from the non-Internet user and processes it by scanning in order to translate the received item into electronic form (unit 30). This opening and scanning operation can be carried out automatically by mail processing machines and analyzers (scanners) installed in a processing chain.

The information thus digitized is first encrypted (unit 16), then immediately transmitted to a Unified Messaging opened in the name of the Internet user recipient, where it is integrated there. The electronic transmission from the CC Mail Center to the aforementioned Unified Messaging can be done by email on the Internet, or by internal communication network, for example an Intranet network or by proprietary lines.

The recipient D is then informed by electronic mail electroniquepublica.COM of the arrival for his benefit of a parcel in dematerialized form. This service is managed by a specific software interface (unit 32) at the level of Unified Messaging MU.

He can also directly interrogate his MU, which lists the packages received and available for consultation.

Beforehand, the email announcing the arrival of new messages and / or the MU home page includes the cost of the consultation, which is automatically calculated based on the number of pages scanned, the electronic volume of data, etc (unit 34).

This encryption is then processed to carry out a pre-invoicing (unit 36), the content of which is transmitted to the recipient D. A unit processes the possible agreement of the recipient D to receive the mail announced (unit 38).

Consequently, the Internet user concerned can request the sending of the message, or cause it directly by reading his MU in read; he then receives the "package" on his usual electronic mail (CED) and the cost is invoiced to him directly by the operator on his next telephone statement.

Before transmission to the recipient, the message in electronic form is encrypted (unit 18) to guarantee the confidentiality of its content.

The invoicing of services is managed by an accounting unit 40, depending among other things on the transmission agreements managed by the aforementioned unit 38. The accounting unit 40 periodically establishes an invoice for each client receiving mail, taking into account various parameters: total volume of mail accepted, number of letters received, letters submitted for pre-billing, possibly refused, fixed charges, etc. Likewise, provision may be made for invoicing on similar bases for the benefit of senders. In this case, the invoice will be sent by mail in physical form. Various options may be offered to Internet user S, in particular options for sending by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt.

The acknowledgment is then managed by Unified Messaging MU. To this end, there is provided a traceability unit 42 directly accessible by the recipient D via his electronic mail. In the example, this unit 42 presents on request a slip displayed on the screen with the mail received. This electronic slip presents the information relating to the sender E (address, date of dispatch, identification of the documents constituting the mail, etc.) and the fields to be completed by the recipient. These may include fields for entering the date and time of receipt, comments or observations, etc.

The recipient who has completed the electronic form can then send it to the sender. To this end, a procedure for physically formatting the slip is implemented, using means similar to those presented in the context of FIG. 1 for electronic sending.

Thus, the electronic slip is sent to the Unified Messaging service closest to its recipient (ie the sender E of the mail), where it will be printed (unit 44), then forwarded in this physical form to the address of recipient E by one of the various aforementioned means of routing physical mail.

The invention also provides various options open when a parcel is sent, whether at starting from an electronic (immaterial) form (cf. figure 2) or physical (material) form (cf. figure 3).

The system can provide for the setting up of a free sending option, with compensation for the insertion of advertising messages in the acknowledgment of receipt that the Mailpublica.COM Center will send to it, or even inside the .plis which will be sent to the recipient, urgent shipments by carrier, etc ...

These options are chosen very simply by adding endings to the domain name (part 54, see Figure 2) when sending:

Recommended mail: Mailpublica. Rec. com;

Free mail: Mailpublica. Pub.Com;

Urgent mail: Mailpublica. On purpose. Co, etc ... In these examples, the sender of the electronic mail designates the option chosen in the form of an extension to the name of the domain of the service provider "Mailpublica". Here, the designated option appears in an option field immediately after the point following the name, and just before the suffix ". Com".

In this case, the Unified Messaging UM receiving the message identifies the option field and controls the processing process according to the content of the field. A "normal" routine as described with reference to FIG. 1 is installed by default, in the absence of an option field.

Thus, Unified Messaging will automatically analyze the option field for: - upon detection of the field equal to "Rec", activate the means of transmission and management of the electronic acknowledgment of receipt slip;

- upon detection of the field equal to "Pub", inhibit the invoicing relating to the mail being processed and insert an advertisement in it, and - upon detection of the field equal to "Express", send a message with the current courier, readable by the Unified Messaging MU of the recipient, indicating that it must be treated as urgent. In response, this Messaging service will automatically trigger a process to speed up the delivery phase of mail in physical form, for example by having it entrusted to a courier.

It is possible to organize the identification so that several options can be activated simultaneously for a mail, for example by using a concatenation of the option fields, of the electronicpublica.optionl type; option2; ...; n.com option. Thus the choice of an express shipment and with acknowledgment of receipt is possible using the electronicpublica formulation. On purpose; Rec.com

Many other options can be imagined such as for example, the link with an online gift shop allowing for example to accompany the message with a shipment of flowers or other present of modest value.

Finally, a non-Internet user who wishes to become an Internet user can be assigned a MU corresponding to their telephone number which will give them the right to Internet access and especially to an email address which will now allow them to receive any email sent to them on the basis of his first name. nom.number ΘMailpublica. com. The invention further provides for the possibility of attaching an electronic signature to a mail, and in both directions thanks to a Certification Service Provider (PSC).

The purpose of the signature is to offer businesses and consumers a solution secure authentication and archiving, either independently or in addition to the system described above.

We know that the Law of March 13, 2000 amending the Civil Code has adapted French Evidence Law to technological developments by extending the usual regime of literal evidence to all dematerialized writings.

Thus, the probative value of computer writing was consecrated.

However, a mechanism has also been put in place to guarantee this probative value in the context of procedures, some of which remain to be specified by Decrees or Decrees under preparation. This mechanism is oriented around two main trunks, namely: i) Let electronic writing be intelligible again. ii) That the person from whom it emanates be duly identified.

In addition, this writing must be established and kept under conditions likely to guarantee its integrity.

Thus must be set up Certification Service Providers (PSC), independent private organizations which are responsible for issuing electronic certificates guaranteeing the link between the identity of a person and a device for verifying the electronic signature issued by this person.

Their role will therefore be to identify the signatory but not to certify the content of the messages.

However, certification could go so far as to cover data such as the date and the time, the period of validity of the signature or the powers of the signatory.

The use of PSCs is based on procedural and legal know-how, but also on particularly sophisticated technical and in particular cryptological means.

The invention allows, if necessary, to design the system described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 in addition as an authentic certification service provider (PSC).

What is more, and in addition, the system can, as an extension of its above functionalities, be set up as a real Secure and Approved Archiving Center. To do this, it implements an automated online archiving system which will rely on a subscription billing system and / or archiving and / or consultation service through the use of the counting system. content transferred using the tools presented at the beginning of this document.

To this end, the system relies exhaustively and rigorously on the normative criteria already implemented in terms of electronic archiving.

As such, it can serve as a reference guarantee for the conservation and security of archived data, the latter having to be able to be restored in a certified manner as to their conformity with the data originally archived, their integrity as well as the author of the possibly certified information contained therein.

The system can also establish its credibility by being labeled by well-known bodies like for example the APP or Association for the Protection of Programs.

Given the development of EDI and the standards associated with it, this service allows users to have a credible recourse to the dematerialization of their exchanges.

The system can be implemented in close collaboration with certain partners and in particular: - a system allowing the counting of content traveling under the Net in a multi-criteria manner and opening the possibility of invoicing under the network according to the Minitel model directly by the Operator . Such a system is described in particular in the aforementioned patent application.

The system can also evolve towards B to C communication.

The example has been described, detailing in particular the case of a parcel shipment by electronic mail sent over the Internet. However, it is clear that the entire routing, invoicing and certification process can also be carried out as part of a shipment from a mobile telephone terminal using a messaging service or a suitable connection on the Internet, such as the system. WAP (acronym of the Anglo-Saxon expression

"Wireless Application Protocol") or the UMTS protocol

(acronym of the Anglo-Saxon expression "Universal

Mobile Télécommunication System "), or from a mobile or landline telephone with message transmission in audio form.

In the latter case, the sender calls Unified Messaging via his telephone address, which can be a group line. In response, Unified Messaging connects it to a voice server thanks to which he can give and receive administrative information (enter the recipient's telephone address, telephone number, etc.) and record the audible message for the recipient. Once the recording has been made, the voice server indicates to the sender the cost of sending the package, which is based on ₍ similar criteria (length of the message, geographic location of the recipient, express options, registered, certification). , etc.) The sender can therefore give his consent for the delivery of the parcel, which will then be transmitted in digitized and encrypted form to the recipient's MU, or it will be put in the form of recorded media (audio cassette, diskette, etc.) or retranscribed in printed form by speech recognition.The parcel thus formatted is delivered to the recipient according to the methods already described.

It will be understood that the distribution of the tasks can be modified while remaining within the scope of the invention. For example, it is possible to use preexisting means to implement certain parts of the invention. In addition to the Internet and electronic messaging, it is possible to use resources already installed to have the conversion of electronic packages into physical form and the routing to the recipient.

The invention can be implemented by computer tools both at the level of the transmitting terminal 2, 4, 6 and at the level of the management units (management unit) MU. It can thus be materialized by a medium (composed of one or more elements, for example several CD-ROMs) containing software code which, when loaded into computer means of the transmitting terminal and / or the management unit, allows the execution of its characteristic functions.

Claims

RE VE ND I CA TI ON S

1. Method for routing mail sent in intangible form from a terminal (2, 4, 6), for delivery to a recipient (D) at the physical address of the latter and on a material medium, characterized in that it includes the steps: at the terminal (2, 4, 6) of the transmitter (E), of:

- provide a field associated with the mail to be sent, and in which the sender enters information (56) identifying the recipient (D), this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and

- transmit the mail in intangible form to a management unit (MU), and at the level of the management unit (MU), to:

- providing a database (14) establishing a correspondence link between the information identifying the recipient and the physical address of the recipient for a set of recipients, - receiving said mail and reading the information identifying the recipient entered in said field ,

- determine by reference to said database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read,

- transcribe the content of the mail received in intangible form on a physical medium, and send said material medium to said determined physical address.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mail is sent to an electronic address (54) of the management assembly (MU), and in that the information (56) identifying the recipient (D) is integrated into said email address.

3. Process according to claim 2, characterized in that the electronic address (54) of the management assembly (MU) comprises a domain name on the Internet, the information (56) identifying the recipient (D) being integrated to the domain name to form a personalized Internet address identifying the recipient (52).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that said personalized address for identifying the recipient (52) is in the format comprising the sequence:

"Recipient ID @ Domain Name",

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the information (56) identifying the recipient comprises a telephone number (56b) of the recipient.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the information identifying the recipient further comprises the name (56a) of the recipient.

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sending of the mail is carried out directly from a conventional electronic mail sending email, without having to enter a specific site.

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it operates within the framework of a service without subscription, the method further comprising the steps of:

- establish a cost to pay for the delivery of mail, transmit data corresponding to at least part of said cost to a provider of other services to which the sender (E) or recipient (D) is linked, and have them integrated said data in the invoicing issued by said provider.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that said service provider is a provider of access to the means of communication of the mail in electronic form from the sender (E) of the mail or to the recipient (D) of the mail, including an Internet service provider or a telecom operator.

10. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it further consists in providing a telephone address with reception on a mail recording service in audio form, accessible to a sender (E) of mail in electronic form, further presenting a time field for recording information identifying the recipient in audio form, which constitutes said associated field, the transcription to physical form at the level of the management unit (MU) by transferring the sound message to a portable physical medium delivered to the recipient (D).

11. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it provides to allow a sender (D) of mail in electronic form to specify an optional service relating to the routing of this mail, at least of which one of:

- routing with acknowledgment of receipt (AEC),

- delivery with express delivery of mail transformed into its physical form (EXP), delivery free of charge through the introduction of advertising message (s) in said mail (PUB).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that, the electronic address of a management unit (MU) which receives a mail in electronic form appearing in the form of domain name on the Internet, it provides for allowing selection of said optional service by integrating an identification code of said service (REC, EXP, PUB) with said electronic address.

13. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the conversion of a mail from its immaterial form to its physical form is carried out at a management unit, among a network of such units (MU), assigned to the recipient (D) according to pre-established criteria, for example as a function of proximity, this management unit performing at least one of the steps:

- the printing of the document on physical medium in the case of an electronic mail containing data intended to be printed (text, images); and - the recording of electronic data on an optical or magnetic medium in the case of sound, image or other data, or when the use of a medium is requested when sending mail.

14. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it also provides for the routing of mail sent in material (physical) form, the conversion of this mail to an immaterial (electronic) form and its delivery in this intangible form, the process comprising at least one of the steps from:

- optical analysis for scanning with a view to integrating scanning data into mail in electronic form; and extracting data contained in a recording medium with a view to integration thereof into the mail in electronic form.

15. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it further comprises, prior to the routing of the mail to the recipient, the steps of: - establishing a service and transmission price,

- transmit an electronic message indicating said price to the sender (E) or the recipient (D) of the mail in electronic form, - wait in response for a message of agreement from said sender or recipient,

- complete the routing of mail to said recipient (D) according to the message of agreement.

16. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it further comprises providing a transit in encrypted form of the data constituting a mail in electronic form on at least part of its route. i

17. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that it further comprises the step of linking an electronic signature to the mail in its electronic form.

18. The method of claim 17, characterized in that it provides for authentication of said electronic signature in accordance with an established convention.

19. The method of claim 18, characterized in that said convention is managed at a set (MU) which further manages said routing process.

20. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that it further comprises the step of archiving mails in electronic form, before or after transformation, optionally with an electronic signature.

21. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that it further comprises the step, in the case of a mail transmission in electronic form, to search for a possible electronic address of the recipient ( D ') and, in the case of identification of such address, to route the mail in electronic form to said address without carrying out said transformation.

22. Mail delivery system sent in intangible form from a terminal, for delivery to a recipient (D) at the physical address of the latter and on a physical medium, characterized in that it comprises: at the terminal (2, 4, 6) of the transmitter

(E):

means for presenting a field associated with the mail to be sent and for managing information (56) identifying the recipient (D) contained in this field, this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and

- means for transmitting mail in immaterial form to a management unit (MU), and at the level of the management unit (MU): - a database (14) establishing a correspondence link between said information identifying the recipient and the recipient's physical address for a set of recipients,

means for receiving said mail and reading said information identifying the recipient entered in said field,

means for determining by reference to said database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read, means for transcribing the content of the mail received in intangible form on a material medium, and

- means ensuring the shipment of the material support to said determined physical address.

23. System according to claim 22, characterized in that it configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 21.

24. Terminal (2, 4, 6) of the system according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that it comprises: - means for presenting a field associated with the mail to be sent and for managing information identifying the recipient (D) contained in this field, this information being other than the physical address of the recipient, and - means for transmitting mail in intangible form to a management unit (MU).

25. System management assembly (MU) according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that it comprises:

- a database (14) establishing a correspondence link between the information identifying the recipient and the physical address of the recipient for a set of recipients, - means for receiving said mail and reading the information identifying the recipient entered in said field,

means for determining by reference to said database the physical address of the recipient which corresponds to the information identifying the recipient read, means for transcribing the content of the mail received in intangible form on a material medium, and - means ensuring the shipment of the material support to said determined physical address.

26. Recording medium usable by a computer, the medium comprising a computer program allowing the execution of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 21 at the terminal (2, 4, 6) and / or at the level d 'a management package (MU).